Inquisitor Marco Robert Skoll, commonly Marco Skoll, is an Inquisitor of the Ordo Perditus Carthaxian.
Physical stats[]
- Date of Birth: 234966M.41
- Place of Birth: Mapane III
- Gender: Male
- Height: 188 cm / 6' 2"
- Weight: 80 kg / 177 lbs
Physical appearance: Physically well built, Marco has several scars to go with his life as an Inquisitor. Most, such as the burn scars across his chest, are usually hidden under clothing, but he also has a large scar across the left side of his face, the result of a power weapon attack that cost him an ear and seared most of the side of his face before cutting into his neck. Due to extensive re-constructive surgery, this is usually only noticeable relatively close up, although he still often winces when the area is touched.
He has short dark brown hair, blue grey irises, is generally clean shaven and wears relatively low key clothing, often including his father's old long brown trenchcoat and maroon carapace body armour of Theklian officer corps issue.
History[]
Born on the planet of Mapane III to a gunsmith father Akseli Skoll (since deceased), and a mechanic mother Amalia Lahtinen, Marco's young life was marred by his telekinetic power. Due to the exceptionally low rates of psykers on Mapane, reactions to them are often even more extreme than elsewhere in the Imperium, and the young Marco took extreme pains to hide his "talents".
Managing to avoid discovery, he spent his childhood being taught the principles of gunsmithing by his father, and was considered something of a local prodigy who would prove an exceptional replacement for his ageing father. This got turned on its head shortly after he turned eighteen, when his village was attacked by canid predators. Caught unarmed and in the open, for a brief moment Marco's fear of discovery was eclipsed by a fear for his life and he instinctively lashed out with his powers, sending one of the creatures flying into to the distance.
This act went initially unseen, but as he made for cover, the sight of a close friend being brutally attacked pushed the normally calm Marco over the edge, and he broke the necks of both the wild dogs atop her with only a gesture, before systematically slaughtering every single one of the beasts in ever more violent ways. After his rampage, it was probably only the prominence of his father in the local community that saved him from being immediately lynched, even though he had doubtless saved many lives due to the expedience and magnitude of his counter attack. He was instead confined, and became almost universally shunned.
It was a few days later when Inquisitor Byssus, on the planet to deal with a matter of an Administratum error affecting the planet's tithes, decided to take a trip to the village to investigate the tales that had begun to spread. He quickly determined that Marco's power was nowhere near that the generously exaggerated rumours, but after three days of questioning, he nonetheless saw value in the young gunsmith - the boy had a keen mind and a talent for deception that would be only too useful to the Inquisitor.
On his departure, he took Marco with him - regardless of his value, all psykers would have to be assessed by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. Although apprehensive about leaving with an Inquisitor, Marco was given little choice and was ultimately only too keen to be able to evade the hatred of those he had cared for. Immediately marshalled into the hands of the Scholastia Psykana for assessment and sanctioning, he showed significant control although only modest power, and was quickly classified a Theta-1.A Primaris psyker. With the prompt processing and privileged tutoring that came with the earmark of being destined to serve an Inquisitor, he was officially sanctioned in relatively short order.
After this period, he spent the following years serving under Byssus as a psychic aide. Proving both effective and frequently highly insightful, it was no great surprise when a few years later, Byssus promoted the now 25 year old Marco to the role of Neophyte, officially starting his training in the role of an Inquisitor.
Another two years later, Marco acquired his runic sword, Laevateinn. Investigating Inquisitor Roniro's disappearance with his mentor, the pair entered the Inquisitor's private mansion to find a massacre. Beset by psychically enslaved corpses, they fought their way through the hordes until they finally found the perpetrator, the daemon Ure'kal, who Roniro had unwittingly bound to himself.
The creature proved nearly impervious to mortal weapons, dragging out the battle into hours. It finally came to a head in the mansion vault, where as the pair searched for a manner in which the daemon might be vanquished, they were ambushed and trapped by the beast. His ammunition spent, Marco raised his sword. Laughing, the beast shattered the blade with a casual sweep. Frantically searching for a hope of a valiant last stand, Marco's eyes were drawn to a sword stored amongst the late Inquisitor's collection. Telekinetically drawing it to his hands, Marco took what he thought would be his last ever act, swinging for the daemon's neck in vain hope. Utterly effortlessly, Laevateinn severed Ure'kal's head, immolating and screaming as it flew away to leave only Roniro's charred skull behind.
After the event, and with Inquisitor Roniro having no surviving acolytes, Byssus arranged for the sword to be confirmed untainted. Finding it pure, he gifted it to his apprentice to be once again wielded in the name of the Emperor. At the age of twenty-eight, he met Silva Birgen, who would later become his partner, during an operation hunting a cyrokinetic on Wymec. The two immediately appeared to have an interest in one another to the point that Byssus was forced totake over the questioning to stop the two flirting with each other. After the close of the investigation, Byssus consented to Marco's numerous attempts to add Silva to his entourage.
Marco was utterly devastated two years later when an operation on Thrupp went catastrophically wrong and Silva was crippled to the extent she needed massive bionic surgery. He has never told anyone what he did to the mutant terrorist responsible, although he knows Silva has suspicions.
A further year later, the three were nearly all killed on Eidica, when a meeting with the planetary governor turned out to be a vengeful trap set by Ure'kal. Unarmed by the governor's security, the trio escaped only by sheer luck and the Emperor's blessing.
At thirty eight Terran years, although unusually young, he was officially promoted to Inquisitor when Byssus elected to retire from field work, something Lembus pulled several strings to see go through. For the immediate few months following his promotion, Marco hired the services of the mercenary Frost. After this time (and finding Frost slightly too unnerving to keep permanently on payroll), he began the recruitment of his current cadre, starting with Arbitrator Giovanna Ciris, and shortly afterwards, he offered the smuggler Arden Holf (and the crew of his ship, the Ynys Mon) amnesty for their crimes in return for their services.
His first major operation was the famed Rugis actions against the alpha-class biomancer known as Genesis, and the infamous Gercshcliff breakout that followed. He has also received minor commendations from the Carthaxian Conclave for his actions in resolving the opening of the Tannhauser Gate and the Giena Hive cult riots.
He represented his former mentor (and thus, unofficially, the Ordo Perditus Carthaxian as a whole) at The Succession of the Inquisitor Lords Carthax.
Personality[]
Relatively new to his role, Marco does not have the bombastic personality typical of some Inquisitors, tending to be unusually informal on all but the most official manners, regularly holding important conversations on first name terms. However, he is still in the habit of often introducing himself by his full name and title, a common tradition on certain parts of Mapane III.
Marco is relatively hard to anger, an emotion that tends to manifest as him becoming increasingly quiet, persistent and ruthless the further he is pushed, rather than as outbursts of rage. It has been observed that many of his most brutal acts of anger are against those who have threatened or harmed those close to him.
He has an occasional tendency to overcomplicate his solutions to problems, although the effectiveness of these solutions leaves little to be questioned. He is also known for making obscure references and metaphors.
Beliefs[]
Marco belongs to the Ordo Perditus, an Ordo that believes the greatest threat to the stability and future of the Imperium is that presented by information finding its way into the hands of those who could abuse it. As such, many consider him an Amalathian like most other Perditus Inquisitors, although Marco has never personally referred to himself as such.
Although generally Puritan in his methods and beliefs, Marco is in constant fear of being perceived as a Radical, and often believes himself to be only scarcely avoiding such. At times, his own desire for others to be lenient in their assessments of him can often transfer into his assessments of others, meaning his political views is often seen as somewhat naive, a matter only compounded by his idealistic beliefs on the role of the Inquisition. To paraphrase a quote from Marco's own records:
"We as Inquisitors are merely humans granted the burden of the power to serve the Imperium. Authority does not make it possible for anyone to transcend the limits of our species - it merely gives some the delusion that they may. As such, I do not abuse my power, nor allow it to abuse me. We are the servants of man, not they of us."
Abilities[]
Marco's primary strength is his mind, in more ways than one. Aside from being intellectually sharp, mentally agile and well educated, he is also a telekinetic of modest power, but exceptional control. This control allows him a sixth sense for mass - in a similar way to how a human has an innate sense for where their foot or hand is, Marco can extend this to his environment, perceiving the surrounding area in a manner not entirely unlike if it were an extension of his body.
Marco also appears to have an instinctive bond with his partner, Silva Birgen, giving each an innate ability to read and work with the other, as well as an uncanny knack for knowing where the other is. The mechanism behind this process is unknown, but does not appear to be conventional telepathy.
Some Inquisitors consider Silva Birgen an integral part of Marco's effectiveness, believing that it is only really with her aid and their inherent compatibility that that he is truly able to fulfil the role of an Inquisitor. Marco is not known to disagree on this point.
Outside of his mental ability, he demonstrates good physical fitness, and in combat, he is a competent swordsman, an exceptional shot, and a good tactician - however, he is not a spectacular combat leader, not being known for inspirational advice and actions under pressure.
Equipment[]
Marco's primary armaments are the runic sword Laevateinn, a blade recovered from the personal collection of the late Inquisitor Roniro, carried across his back and a suppressed stubber of his own design and construction, kept in a thigh holster.
The sword Laevateinn's history is incomplete, with few records prior to late M38, although it is undoubtedly far older than this, possibly even far pre-dating the formation of the Imperium. It is a long bastard sword engraved with psychically conductive runes, their designs unknown to the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The sword appears extraordinarily effective against daemons, although whether this effect is the result of the runic designs cannot be confirmed, as all attempts to replicate these runes on other weapons have failed. The blade, despite its age, is completely unmarked and untarnished, and appears to have a highly hydrophobic surface, meaning that blood and other contaminants simply roll off the surface, leaving it completely clean even immediately after use. The methods used in its construction are unknown, as the exact composition of its alloy, which appears completely impervious to all forms of damage.
A persistent suggestion in the remaining accounts of the sword is that the blade itself chooses its owners, almost all owners acquiring the sword by accident rather than by deliberate intention.
His stubber, which using his experience as a former gunsmith he both designed and built, uses a 9mm semi-magnum cartridge and, unusually for a pistol, a locked slide and short stroke gas operation. He claims his specific design is more reliable and accurate than most pistols, and few are inclined to disagree.
He is also regularly seen wearing carapace body armour of Theklian officer corps issue (in the standard maroon), including its standard las-resistant crystal coating.
Known Associates[]
Marco is seldom seen without his partner, Silva Birgen, an ex-Guard Staff Sergeant with heavy bionic repair.
- Giovanna Ciris, an Arbitrator formerly part of an anti-psyker team. Specialises in less-lethal combat and demolitions. Weak (Upsilion rated) blunt.
- Arden "Icebreaker" Holf, an ageing former smuggler. Owner of the freighter "Ynys Mon".
- Jax "Jacqueline" Lynn, tailed mutant with exceptional regenerative capabilities. First officer of the Ynys Mon, also acting as a bodyguard to Arden Holf.
- The other crew of the Ynys Mon:
- "Alpine", Chief Enginseer.
- Jaysar, Chief Navigator and Second Officer
- Malthe Octavian, Chief Astropath
Primary contacts include:
- Inquisitor Lembus Byssus, his former mentor, and unofficial "head" of the Ordo Perditus Carthaxian. Currently engaged in research on "Trans-Aethyric Association", and is based at the Perditus facility on Eudocia IV
- Inquisitor Cathal Brennan, another of his mentor's acolytes. Assisting his mentor's research.
- Inquisitor Lyra Rhodes, another of his mentor's acolytes
- Frost, a prolific mercenary and assassin within the sector. Marco does not publicise this connection, and is currently maintaining a cover of being in pursuit of Frost, providing significant misinformation to Arbites forces on the hunt for her.
Quotes[]
"Who am I? I am Marco Robert Skoll, Inquisitor to He-on-Terra. I have met men that can’t be, strode planets that shouldn’t, heard the cries of people yet to be born, and fought the machinations of those long dead. I have killed with a thought, burned civilizations with a word, commanded armies with a gesture, and demanded obedience with my name. And I declare you Hereticus Diabolus, an abomination to the human race to be exterminated with extreme prejudice." - Marco to High Arbitrator Highfield of Giena Hive.
"There is no dark side of humanity really. As a matter of fact, it's all dark - the only thing that makes it look alight is the Emperor." - Part of one of Marco's written discourses on human nature.
"She chose the long road, but we'll be waiting." - Inquisitor Marco Skoll to Silva Birgen, on the subject of the heretical Inquisitor Cearra Jocosse's escape.
Inquisitor Marco Skoll: "We're not exactly getting anything done, just standing here, making a noise like a flock of jan'kan."
Commissar Alice Fenn: "A flock of what?"
Inquisitor Marco Skoll: "It... oh, never mind, I'll explain later."
- An exchange from Marco's Kurabata Prime investigation
"I like him. He's silly." - Staff Sergeant Silva Birgen about Marco.
"He is impulsive, young and idealistic. He's a liar and a killer. His heart burns with a million hatreds and he has committed acts you cannot imagine. In simple terms, he's a hero." - Inquisitor Lyra Rhodes about Marco